List of people from Sheffield explained

This is a list of notable people who were born in or near, or have been residents of the English city of Sheffield.

Arts and humanities

• Sidney Oldall Addy, folklorist and historian^[1]
• Charles Herbert Aslin, architect^[2]
• Samuel Bailey, philosopher and author^[3]
• William Sterndale Bennett, composer^[4]
• Clifford Edmund Bosworth, historian^[5]
• Malcolm Bradbury, author^[6]
• Michael Brennan, photographer
• A. S. Byatt, novelist
• Edward Carpenter, poet and activist^[7]
• Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey, sculptor^[8]
• Paul Conneally, poet, artist, musician
• Thomas Creswick, painter^[9]
• Thomas Wingate Todd, anthropologist, orthodontist
• Margaret Drabble, novelist^[10]
• Ebenezer Elliott, poet^[11]
• William Empson, literary critic and Professor of English at the University of Sheffield
• William Flockton, architect^[12]
• Sarah Frankcom, artistic director of the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
• Alfred Gatty, Church of England priest and author
• Robert Murray Gilchrist, novelist
• Dave Godin, writer and journalist, authority on black American soul music^[13]
• Mary Anne Everett Green, historian^[14]
• William John Hale, architect
• Joanne Harris, author (most famously of Chocolat)
• Ethel Haythornthwaite, environmental campaigner and pioneer^{[15] [16] [17]}
• Philip Hensher, author
• Barry Hines, author
• Barbara Hofland, children's writer^[18]
• John Holland, poet and journalist
• Linda Hoy, author
• Henry George Hoyland, painter^[19]
• Joseph Hunter, antiquarian and historian^[20]
• Mary Hutton, radical labouring-class poet
• Charles Sargeant Jagger, sculptor
• David Jennings, composer
• Alice Kipling, poet
• Robert Eadon Leader, journalist and historian
• W. C. Leng, journalist
• Marina Lewycka, author
• Arthur Lismer, artist^[21]
• Stephen Mallinder, musician, writer, broadcaster and academic
• Steve McCaffery, poet^[22]
• James Montgomery, editor and poet^[23]
• Alicia Moore, novelist^[24]
• Charles Mozley, artist^[25]
• Geoff Nicholson, author
• Bruce Oldfield, fashion designer
• John C. Parkin, architect^[26]
• Bernard Rands, composer
• Jack Rosenthal, playwright^[27]
• Stanley Royle, a post-impressionist landscape painter
• Margaret Ryder, artist
• Joe Scarborough, artist^[28]
• Si Spencer, TV dramatist and graphic novelist
• Kenneth Steel, artist
• Frederick Varley, artist^[29]
• White Watson, geologist, sculptor, stonemason and carver
• John Dodsley Webster, architect
• Khalid Yasin, Islamic lecturer
• Glenn Gregory, musician, lead vocalist with Heaven 17
• Joe Elliot, musician, lead vocalist with Def Leppard
• Rick Savage, musician, bassist with Def Leppard

Business

• Charles Boot, of Henry Boot & Co., developer of Pinewood Studios
• Carrie Rose, entrepreneur
• John Brown, industrialist^[30]
• John George Graves, entrepreneur and philanthropist
• David James Richards, entrepreneur and multi-millionaire technologist^[31]
• Lee Strafford, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist`
• Peter Stringfellow, multi-millionaire businessman
• Joseph William Thornton, confectioner, founder of Thorntons
• Thomas William Ward, industrialist and shipbreaker

Entertainment

• Owen Aaronovitch, actor
• Ray Ashcroft, actor
• Derek Bailey, musician, writer^[32]
• Nick Banks, musician, drummer for Pulp
• Jason Leaver, DJ, artist, broadcaster
• Matthew Bannister, BBC Radio 5 Live presenter
• Matthew Barley, cellist
• Vikram Barn, YouTuber, member and co-founder of the Sidemen
• Keith Barron, actor
• Josephine Barstow, opera singer
• Arthur Baynes, aka Stainless Stephen, music hall comedian^[33]
• Sean Bean, actor
• Dave Berry, musician
• J. Stuart Blackton, film producer
• Gavin Bryars, musician
• Alastair Burnet, news reader
• Marti Caine, comedian
• Tony Capstick, comedian, actor, musician and broadcaster
• Paul Carrack, musician, singer of Ace, Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics
• Joanne Catherall, musician, singer in The Human League
• Steve Clark, musician, late Def Leppard guitarist
• Jessica-Jane Clement, actor, model
• Jarvis Cocker, musician,^[34] lead singer of Pulp
• Joe Cocker, singer
• Maurice Colbourne, actor
• Christopher Colquhoun, actor
• Jamie Cook, musician, guitarist for the Arctic Monkeys
• Henry Coward, choral conductor
• Richard Coyle, actor and comedian
• Thomas Craig, actor
• Stephen Daldry, film director
• Johnny Danvers, actor and comedian
• Bruce Dickinson, musician, lead singer of Iron Maiden
• Reginald Dixon, organist, pianist and radio presenter
• Candida Doyle, keyboard player with Pulp
• Steve Edwards, singer
• Joe Elliott, musician, lead singer of Def Leppard
• Graham Fellows, comedian, actor, known as "John Shuttleworth"
• Toby Foster, comedian, works for BBC Radio Sheffield; possibly from Barnsley
• Martin Fry, musician, lead singer of ABC
• Margaret Gale, opera singer
• Mark Gasser, pianist
• Liam Gerrard, actor
• Peter Glossop, opera singer
• Brian Glover, actor and wrestler
• Michael Grandage, theatre director
• Christopher Green, writer and performer
• Richard Hawley, musician, formerly of The Longpigs
• Paul Heaton, musician, formerly of The Beautiful South
• Matthew Helders, musician, drummer for the Arctic Monkeys
• Elizabeth Henstridge, actress
• Stephanie Hill, classical-crossover vocalist and Miss England 2017/18
• Steven Houghton, actor and singer
• Charlotte Hudson, television presenter
• Robert Hudson, actor
• Jayne Irving, television presenter
• Stephen Jones, musician and novelist, formerly of Babybird
• Richard H. Kirk, musician
• Skelton Knaggs, actor
• Bobby Knutt, actor and comedian
• Ann Lee, singer, songwriter, dancer
• Tim Lever, music producer
• Susan Littler, actor
• James Lomas, Olivier Award-winning actor
• Steve Mackey, bass player with Pulp
• Emily Maitlis, television presenter
• Jonny Maudling, composer
• Patricia Maynard, actor
• Jon McClure, musician, frontman of Reverend and the Makers
• James McCourt, television presenter
• Richard McCourt, television presenter
• Patrick McGoohan, actor
• Philip Oakey, musician, lead singer of The Human League
• Nick O'Malley, musician, bassist in Arctic Monkeys
• Julian Ovenden, actor and singer
• Tony Oxley, musician
• Michael Palin, comedian, actor and travel presenter
• Judy Parfitt, actor
• Nick Park, animator and film director^[35]
• Mike Percy, music producer
• Angela Pleasence, actor
• Donald Pleasence, actor
• Martin Powell, former keyboardist of heavy metal band Cradle of Filth
• John Rawling, sport commentator
• Ian Reddington, actor
• Rony Robinson, broadcaster and writer
• Rick Savage, musician, bassist of Def Leppard
• Russell Senior, musician, former guitarist for Pulp
• David Slade, film director
• Susan Ann Sulley, musician, singer in The Human League
• Oliver Sykes, musician, lead singer of Bring Me the Horizon
• Alex Turner, musician, vocalist and songwriter for the Arctic Monkeys
• Anna Walker, television presenter
• Dan Walker, television presenter
• Martyn Ware, musician with Heaven 17
• Paul Joseph Watson, internet personality, editor of InfoWars
• Mark Webber, guitarist with Pulp
• Dominic West, actor
• Mark White, musician with ABC
• Willie Williams, set designer and video director
• Pete Willis, musician, former Def Leppard guitarist
• Tom Wrigglesworth, comedian
• Stuart Zender, bassist, songwriter and record producer

Politics

• Nick Ainger, politician
• Clive Betts, politician
• David Blunkett, former Cabinet minister (Education Secretary, Home Secretary, and Work and Pensions Secretary)^[36]
• William Broadhead, early trade unionist
• Richard Caborn, former Minister for Sport
• Brent Charlesworth, former Lord Mayor of Nottingham and also Sheriff of Nottingham
• Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Leader 2007-2015 and Deputy Prime Minister 2010–2015
• John Christopher Cutler, second governor of the State of Utah
• William Dronfield, early trade unionist
• George Hadfield, 19th-century politician
• Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat politician
• Enid Hattersley, Labour Party politician and Sheffield's Lord Mayor in 1981
• Roy Hattersley, politician and writer
• Samuel Holberry, Chartist
• Isaac Ironside, Chartist
• Helen Jackson
• Oona King, politician
• J. Batty Langley, politician and trade unionist
• Nicholas Liverpool, President of Dominica
• Frederick Mappin, cutler and politician
• Mary, Queen of Scots, held under house arrest in Sheffield for 14 years
• J. T. Murphy, leader of the Shops' Stewards Movement and the Communist Party of Great Britain
• Sally Opppenheim, Conservative MP and Minister
• John Parker, 19th-century politician
• Sir Irvine Patnick, politician and Conservative Party Whip under Margaret Thatcher and John Major
• Samuel Plimsoll, politician and advocate of the Plimsoll line
• Joseph Pointer, politician and trade unionist
• Mark Serwotka, trade unionist
• Derek Simpson, trade unionist
• Angela Smith
• Henry Stephenson, politician and businessman
• George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl Marshal and gaoler of Mary, Queen of Scots
• Samuel Danks Waddy
• G. H. B. Ward, campaigner for access to moorland
• Cecil Henry Wilson, politician
• Hugo Young, journalist and political commentator
• Charles Frederick Crisp, 33rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

Religion

• John Balguy, divine and philosopher^[37]
• Geoffrey Blythe, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry 1503–c1530
• John Blythe, Bishop of Salisbury 1493–1500
• William Henry Brookfield, Anglican priest, Inspector of Schools, Chaplain-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria 1809–1874
• Alexander Kilham, founder of the Methodist New Connexion church
• James Moorhouse, Bishop of Manchester 1886–1903
• Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln 1660–1663

Science and engineering

• Richard Bentall, clinical psychologist
• Henry Bessemer, engineer^[38]
• Thomas Boulsover, inventor of Sheffield Plate
• Harry Brearley, inventor of stainless steel
• Leonard Cockayne, botanist
• John Curr, coal mine and railway engineer^[39]
• Samuel Earnshaw, mathematician
• Charles Harding Firth, historian^[40]
• Mark Firth, steel manufacturer
• Sir John Fowler, railway engineer and co-designer of the Forth Railway Bridge^[41]
• Robert Hadfield, innovator of steel alloys
• Professor David Hughes, astronomer
• Benjamin Huntsman, inventor and steel manufacturer
• Amy Johnson, pioneering female aviator
• Pieter Kok, co-developer of quantum interferometric optical lithography
• Hans Adolf Krebs, biochemist, winner of the 1953 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine^[42]
• Sir Harry Kroto, chemist, winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry^[43]
• Joseph Locke, railway engineer
• Peter Maitlis, organometallic chemist
• David Mellor, cutler
• Frederick Brian Pickering, metallurgist
• Juda Hirsch Quastel, biochemist
• Helen Sharman, astronaut (first Briton in space)
• Henry Clifton Sorby, microscopist and geologist
• Richard J. Roberts, biochemist
• John Roebuck, inventor^[44]
• Grenville Turner, cosmochemist, noble gas geochemist
• John Paul Wild, astronomer

Sport

• Micky Adams, footballer^[45]
• John Amaechi, NBA basketball player
• Gordon Banks, footballer
• Dominic Barrow, rugby player
• Dave Bassett, football manager
• Steven Bellamy, British karate team
• Danny Bergara, footballer and football manager
• Adam Blythe, cyclist
• Kell Brook, professional boxer
• Jon Brown, marathon runner
• Lee Chapman, footballer
• Steve Circuit, former professional footballer
• Charles Clegg, footballer and Chairman of the Football Association
• William Clegg, footballer and politician
• Sebastian Coe, track and field athlete
• Geoffrey Cornu, cricketer
• Tommy Crawshaw, footballer for England and Sheffield Wednesday
• Lucy Creamer, climber
• Phil Davis, professional footballer
• Louis Dodds, football player
• Derek Dooley, footballer
• Jeff Eckhardt, football player
• Malcolm Elliott, professional cyclist
• Jessica Ennis, track and field athlete
• Catherine Faux, triathlete
• Hazel Findlay, rock climber
• Matt Fitzpatrick, golfer
• David Ford, footballer, scored in 1966 F.A. Cup Final
• William Foulke, aka "Fatty" Foulks; goalkeeper
• Trevor Francis, footballer and football manager
• David Fraser-Darling, cricketer
• Redfern Froggatt, footballer
• Paul Goodison, sailor
• Herol 'Bomber' Graham, boxer
• Andrew Griffiths, field hockey forward
• Keith Hackett, football referee
• Naseem Hamed, boxer
• Ernest Harper, Olympic athlete
• Cuth Harrison, racing driver
• Donna Hartley, Olympic sprinter and Commonwealth gold medalist
• David Hirst, footballer
• Emlyn Hughes, footballer and football manager
• Ritchie Humphreys, footballer, EX PFA Chairman
• Brendan Ingle, boxing trainer
• Adam Johnson, cricketer
• Paul Jones, boxer
• Nick Matthew, squash player
• Reg Matthewson, footballer
• Harry Maguire, footballer
• Devon Malcolm, cricketer
• Ray McHale, footballer
• Don Megson, footballer
• Gary Megson, footballer and football manager
• Ben Moon, rock climber
• Esme Morgan, footballer
• John Motson, football commentator
• Kyle Naughton, footballer
• Johnny Nelson, boxer
• Jon Newsome, footballer
• Carlton Palmer, footballer
• Walt Palmer, footballer
• Tony Parkes, assistant football manager
• Steve Peat, professional cyclist; three-time UCI downhill world cup overall series champion
• Albert Quixall, footballer
• Jamie Reeves, winner of World's Strongest Man
• Uriah Rennie, football referee
• Ellie Roebuck, football goalkeeper
• Ryan Rhodes, boxer
• Dave Richards, Chairman of FA Premier League and former Chairman of Sheffield Wednesday
• Mark Roe, professional golfer, coach and commentator
• Joe Root, England and Yorkshire cricketer
• Alan Rouse, mountaineer
• Jackie Sewell, footballer
• Billy Sharp, footballer
• Roberta Sheffield, Para-equestrian
• David Sherwood, tennis player
• John Sherwood, international 400 metre hurdler
• Sheila Sherwood, international long jumper 1962–1974
• Ron Shudra, former NHL player
• Joe Simpson, mountaineer
• Jim Smith, footballer and football manager
• Timothy Smith, cricketer
• Ron Springett, football goalkeeper
• Mel Sterland, footballer
• Roger Taylor, tennis player, Wimbledon semi-finalist 1973
• Tommy Thorpe, footballer and cricketer
• Geoff Thompson, chairman of the Football Association
• Will Thursfield, footballer
• George Ulyett, test cricketer
• Jamie Vardy, footballer
• Michael Vaughan, captain of England cricket team (2003–2008)
• Chris Waddle, England footballer
• Edward Wainwright, test cricketer
• Kyle Walker, footballer, England right-back
• Neil Warnock, footballer and football manager
• Nicky Weaver, goalkeeper
• Chris Wilder, football manager and former player
• Howard Wilkinson, football manager
• Danny Willett, professional golfer
• Justin Wilson, motor-racing driver
• Stefan Wilson, motor-racing driver
• Dennis Woodhead, footballer 1947–1959
• Chris Woods, football goalkeeper
• Clinton Woods, boxer
• Nigel Worthington, footballer and football manager
• Harry Wragg, jockey and trainer
• Harry Wright, major league baseball player^[46]

Others

• Major William Barnsley Allen recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War I; born in Sheffield^[47]
• Felicia Dorothea Kate Dover, notorious poisoner.^[48]
• Arnold Loosemore, World War I soldier awarded the Victoria Cross
• Charles Peace, notorious murderer^[49]

Notes and References

1. News: Obituary: Sidney Oldall Addy . 18 November 1933 . . 7. 5 December 2008.
2. Web site: Aslin, Charles Herbert (1893-1959), architect . Oxford Index . 2 September 2013.
3. Bailey, Samuel . 3 . 217–218.
4. News: Sir Sterndale Bennet . 2 February 1875 . The Times. 9.
5. Web site: Netton . Ian Richard . Bosworth, (Clifford) Edmund(1928–2015) . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . 31 March 2020 . 10 January 2019. 10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.111800 . 978-0-19-861412-8 .
6. News: Author Sir Malcolm Bradbury dies . 30 August 2008 . . BBC . 28 November 2000 .
7. Web site: Taylor . Philip . Edward Carpenter Biographical Note . 30 August 2008 . The Edward Carpenter Archive . Simon Dawson . https://web.archive.org/web/20170927080348/http://www.edwardcarpenter.net/ecbiog.htm . 27 September 2017 . dead .
8. Chantrey, Sir Francis Legatt . 5 . 847–848.
9. Creswick, Thomas . 7 . 414.
10. Web site: Margaret Drabble . 24 June 2007 . Contemporary Writers . British Council . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070408034314/http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth31 . 8 April 2007 .
11. Elliott, Ebenezer . 9 . 291–292.
12. Book: Harman . R. . Minnis. J. . Pevsner City Guides: Sheffield . 2004 . Yale University Press . New Haven & London . 0-300-10585-1 . 24.
13. News: King of soul music loses cancer fight . https://archive.today/20071209160018/http://www.thestar.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=874829 . dead . 9 December 2007 . . Sheffield Newspapers Ltd . 21 October 2004 . 24 June 2007.
14. Book: Odom, William . Hallamshire worthies . Northend . Sheffield . 1926 . 23581396.
15. Web site: CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire have unveiled a blue heritage plaque to commemorate the life of our charity’s founder, Ethel Haythornthwaite MBE.. 25 May 2022. . CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire. 6 February 2024.
16. Web site: Blue plaque unveiled for Sheffield countryside pioneer Ethel Haythornthwaite as Star campaign a success. 25 May 2022. Kessen. David. The Star. 6 February 2024.
17. Web site: University of Sheffield hosts blue plaque for Peak District campaigner Ethel Haythornthwaite. 26 May 2022. Fletcher. Alice. University of Sheffield. 6 February 2024.
18. ODNB entry by Dennis Butts: Retrieved 30 July 2012. Pay-walled.
19. Wells, Hilary. 'Sheffield Artists 1840–1940'. Sheffield: Basement Gallery 1996, page 31.
20. Web site: The Society . 24 June 2007 . The Hunter Archaeological Society . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060923224646/http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/hunter/society.html . 23 September 2006 .
21. Encyclopedia: Arthur Lismer . . Historical Foundation of Canada .
22. Web site: Steve McCaffery . 31 August 2008 . writing canada into the millennium . English Department, University of Calgary . https://web.archive.org/web/20070808175633/http://ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/HUM/ENGL/canada/poet/s_mccaffery.htm . 8 August 2007 . dead .
23. Montgomery, James . 18 . 783–784.
24. Taylor. Michael A.. 2015. Mrs Alicia Moore, dedicatee of Henry Rowland Brown's 1859 guidebook Beauties of Lyme Regis. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History & Archaeological Society. 6. 9 March 2017. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312065507/http://repository.nms.ac.uk/1492/1/1492_Mrs_Alicia_Moore_dedicatee_of_Henry_Rowland_Brown%E2%80%99s_1859_guidebook_Beauties_of_Lyme_Regis.pdf. dead.
25. Web site: Charles Mozley - details . British Museum . The Collection . 23 May 2016.
26. Encyclopedia: John Cresswell Parkin . . Historical Foundation of Canada .
27. Web site: Alumni . 4 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100529034806/http://www.shef.ac.uk/alumni/known.html . 29 May 2010 .
28. Web site: Joe Scarborough . The Joe Scarborough Gallery . Online Art Gallery - Sheffield, South Yorkshire & Derbyshire Artists . 30 August 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080610125713/http://www.art-show.co.uk/joe.html . 10 June 2008 . dead .
29. Encyclopedia: Frederick Horsman Varley . . Historical Foundation of Canada .
30. Brown, Sir John . 4 . 661.
31. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-26133262
32. News: John . Fordham . Obituary: Derek Bailey . . 29 December 2005 . 31 August 2008 .
33. Web site: Stainless Stephen . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718141918/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/605772 . dead . 18 July 2011 . 31 August 2008 . Film & TV Database . .
34. Web site: Jarvis Cocker . 6 September 2016 . Music . What Makes Sheffield Special .
35. Web site: Notable alumni Alumni Sheffield Hallam University . www.shu.ac.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060924110917/http://www.shu.ac.uk/alumni/notable_alumni.html . 24 September 2006.
36. Book: Price, David . Sheffield Troublemakers . Phillimore & Co. Ltd . Chichester . 2008 . 978-1-86077-569-7.
37. Balguy, John . 3 . 255–256.
38. January 1958 . Outstanding Metallurgists: Henry Bessemer . Metallurgist . 2 . 1 . 48–51 . 10.1007/BF00734445 . 189770707 .
39. Book: Day . Lance . McNeil . Ian . Curr, John . Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology . 1998 . Routledge . London . 321–322 . 0-415-06042-7 .
40. Firth, Charles Harding . 10 . 425.
41. Book: Mackay, Thomas . The Life of Sir John Fowler, Engineer, Bart., K.C.M.G., Etc . 1900 . John Murray . London . 1 .
42. Book: Hans Krebs: Biography . Nobel Lectures, Physiology or Medicine 1942-1962 . 1964 . Elsevier Publishing Company . Amsterdam . http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1953/krebs-bio.html .
43. Book: Kroto, Harry . Harry Kroto: Autobiography . Les Prix Nobel. The Nobel Prizes 1996 . 1997 . Tore Frängsmyr . Nobel Foundation . Stockholm . http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1996/kroto-autobio.html .
44. Roebuck, John . 23 . 450–451.
45. News: Micky Adams confirmed as Sheffield United manager . 30 December 2010 . BBC Sport . 30 December 2010.
46. Book: Reichler, Joseph L. . The Baseball Encyclopedia . 1969 . 4th . 1979 . Macmillan Publishing . New York . 0-02-578970-8 .
47. 2369315 . William Barnsley Allen Obituary . 9 September 1933 . . 512 . 2 . 3792.
48. News: The Sheffield poisoning case, the trial of Kate Dover, defence and verdict . British Newspaper Archive . Sheffield Independent . Sheffield . 8 February 1882 . 2 col1 . 13 July 2019.
49. Book: Irving, Henry Brodribb . A Book of Remarkable Criminals . The Life of Charles Peace . 1918 . George H. Doran company . New York .